Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Karmøy Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Karmøy

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,499 in Karmøy, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,768 in Karmøy, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,036 in Karmøy, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 66% cheaper than Karmøy, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Karmøy is 88% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$25.43 NOK 241

-91.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$103 NOK 976

-81.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$13.93 NOK 132

-43.58%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$4.86 NOK 46.08

-58.23%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ฿26.64

$3.13 NOK 29.72

-74.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.85 NOK 26.98

-87.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$10.28 NOK 97.5

-79.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$9.47 NOK 89.8

-61.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.26 NOK 21.46

-23.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$3.45 NOK 32.67

-54.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$3.20 NOK 30.34

-62.50%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$4.52 NOK 42.89

-56.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$12.19 NOK 116

33.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$14.95 NOK 142

-79.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$28.00 NOK 265

-61.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.53 NOK 33.50

-21.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.46 NOK 23.33

-52.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$3.25 NOK 30.81

-47.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$4.57 NOK 43.38

-65.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.39 NOK 22.65

-41.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.46 NOK 23.29

-52.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.74 NOK 25.98

-75.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.90 NOK 18.06

-72.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$13.97 NOK 133

-66.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$17.55 NOK 166

1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$3.42 NOK 32.40

-47.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$4.03 NOK 38.24

-17.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$4.31 NOK 40.86

-78.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$74.2 NOK 704

-74.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$10.22 NOK 96.9

-86.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.45 NOK 13.71

-7.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$46.92 NOK 445

-82.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$2.07 NOK 19.62

-40.58%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$35.5K NOK 337.1K

-39.70%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$38.8K NOK 367.9K

-43.75%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$71.3 ฿2,379

$242 NOK 2,297

-70.55%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.01 ฿467

$37.68 NOK 357

-62.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$56.1 NOK 532

-68.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$49.40 NOK 468

-17.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$35.91 NOK 340

-80.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$16.44 NOK 156

-65.21%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$308 ฿10.3K

$279 NOK 2,649

10.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$10.2K NOK 96.9K

43.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$97.7 NOK 927

-42.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$51.5 NOK 488

-49.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$107 NOK 1,014

-20.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$151 NOK 1,427

-52.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$1,207 NOK 11.4K

-64.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$897 NOK 8,508

-72.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,799 NOK 17.1K

-55.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,540 NOK 14.6K

-67.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$6,079 NOK 57.6K

-68.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$4,014 NOK 38.1K

-63.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$3,958 NOK 37.5K

-84.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

14.16%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Karmøy: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,207 in Karmøy. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 565% higher in Karmøy, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $103 in Karmøy. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $458 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Karmøy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karmøy costs about 193% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,748 in Karmøy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $279 in Karmøy. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 87% more in Karmøy, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Karmøy at $2,499. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karmøy it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,499 in Karmøy. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Karmøy makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.